The Forrest City times., 1887-11-05

theft, why should she call herself guiityr" persisted the duke, "another thing" he added. .why did she show so much emotion and agitationf Do you remember, Ethel, she was like a woman suddenly bereft of her senses; do you remember her wild, white face. how she knelt down to you how she prayed even of the lawyer to mako no effort to save her2 Underneath all this there Is a mystery, Heel sure" | "fet another thing" said Lord Stair, "Supposing that the looket be- came hers either by occident or by | purchase, why should she keep 1t hid. denS One would have thought that she would have sold the gold and the diamonds long ago, and destroyed the portrait; why should she have kept that?"
 "She was evidently very frightened at its being seen," said the duke. "l shall never forget her face when the locket was put into Etheps hands, never thought one's countenance could express 60 much agony. Then after ward" he continued, "her fear seemed 10 die, and strange, sorrowiul Kind of | dignity enfold her. She was the strangest woman and 1t is the most | mysterious case I know" Shall we have any difficulty in get ting permission to see herf" asked Lord Stair
 "I should say not. replied the duke: i've can get permission from the Hone Secretary. It is mystery whic h | should be cleared. How did she come 1 into possession of the locket, and why I i hA in hal tar f.z h. ion?"
 "Papa,n asked the duchess, "I have heard you speak of my mothers maid, what was her name?"
 l "Phebe Askern," replied Lord Stair promptly.
 What kind of woman was she ?"
 "l hardly remember, ] saw so little of her, Ethel" replied Lord Stair. "She was not as all Ii @ your pretty maid Jennie. She was tall, and had fair hair. Your mother liked her much"
 Lady Holte thought she had run away with money and jewels belonging to my mother; for she was never seen after my mothers death"
 ''No, the general impression was that she made the best of 1t for herself. l do not remember much about her. was too i'll and too distressed. Why do you inquire. Ethely"
 ''l was wondering if it were possible that she had stolen the locket and had | sold it or lost t?' replied the duchess. That would not account for the ag- | itation and distress of Mrs. Grey,n re- piled Lord Stair. "We are as wide as ever from the truth"
 But the duchess was looking at him | with intent eagerness.
 Have you never heard one word of or from this Phnbe Askern since my mothers death, papaY" No, never one word," hc replied. Indeed, until to-day am not sure that have ever thought of her, I saw so very little of her. What makes you look so strange, Ethel ?'' "A strange idea, papa, but one which dering if 1t could be possible that this Mrs. Grey is really Phoebe Askern, my mothers maid"
 Fl should not wonder" said Lord Stair, and the duke uttered bitter cry of surprise.
 We have been most stupid not to | think of that before now," he said. II feel sure you are right, Ethel, and that, as you say, dispels the mystery. If Phpbe Askern ran away when Lady Stair died, and took with her jewels or money, she would naturally be afraid lest she should be found out and punish ed even now. She probably kept the locket because she did not like to des- troy 1t, or dare not sell it. You have found out the secret, Duchess Ethel" But Duchess Ethel still looked very grave and thoughtful.
 ''I can hardly think that Mrs. Grey was Q maid. There was something so refined, so gentle. so thoroughbred. 1 know no other word with which to ex- press 1t. Tam quite certain that she was a lady by birth, by education, and by nature. 1 never met any one l liked half so we'll"
 "ohe may have been lady, and a maid also," said Lord Stair. ''How many ladies in these queer times are compelled to work for their living; she may have been one of those.' Still the duchess was not conyinced; she could not explain it. But there had been something in Mrs. Grey which had attracted and charmed her, as nothing else had ever done. The more they thought of this new
  Askern the more feasible it became, until the duchess started another difficulty.
 "One would think," she said, s'that Phoebe Askern would rather have avoided Clavering, than have settled down there"
 never recognize her,n said Lord Stair. ba Aol-, &,,, M l,sxr me-" said the duchess. "She knew me when 1 was little Sunbeam. She must have nursed me; perhaps that was why she cared for me, and my heart wal drawn to her"
 "Why need she have changed her name, if that was all; she must have had motive in coming to Clavering,' T said the duke. "Some one told me that she came at the same time we did," 1t was impossible to make any at tempt at understan ding it; the only thing was for the duchess, or some one else, to go to see her.
 The whole particulars were laid be- fore tho proper authorities, and per mission was obtained for Her Grace the Duchess of Meath to visit Mrs. Grey.
 ''lf our guess should be correct one, and the person really turns ont to be Phebe Askern," said the duke, "we shall hear more abaut the death of poor Lady Stair; the maid would know more about that fatal journey of hers than any one else"
 Those few words agitated Lord Stair. He knew how carefully every word of that painful story had been hidden; he knew that his daughter had not the faintest knowledge that there had ever been a story. What mistake 1t would be to bring t up. Marguerite Lady Stair lay in an honored grave. If this woman were really Phgbe Askern. and she knew anything oft and reveal ed her knowledge, what would be the result? He grew sick at heart as he thought of it. Better thousand times that his daughter should not go near her.
 He was so anxious, so i'll at ease over it, that at last the duchess perceived it.. She went up to him one morning with those dark, frank eyes of hers wide